Fear into Security
Rachel* never knew who was coming through the door.
On Friday afternoons, when she would get locked in her bedroom; she knew she would have to wait to learn who her parents had become after spending the weekend at the casino. Would they be the jubilant winners, celebrating their good fortune? Or would they be the dejected couple burdened with caring for a 6-year-old girl that brought them nothing but bad luck?
Too many times the house won, and Rachel lost. Their frustration, fueled by alcohol, was unleashed on a little girl who’d been waiting in fear.
By the time Rachel arrived at LYDIA, she had learned to anticipate being shuttered away to await a punishment she did not deserve. She waited, day-after-day, but it never came. Instead, day-after-day, she found love and acceptance by the professionals at LYDIA.
The consistency, structure, and routine began freeing her from anxiety and allowed her to feel safe for the first time in her life. Her therapist at LYDIA taught her healthy ways to open her heart, to forgive, and live with dignity and self-respect.
*names and personal information have been tweaked to preserve the privacy of the people in the stories.
